Daily Inspiration: Meet Steven Perezluha

Today we’d like to introduce you to Steven Perezluha.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started? 
At an early age, I was a noticeably wild kid with some restless behavior problems throughout elementary school. While some said I should be medicated for this restless behavior, my parents and I believed in naturally curing this problem. The solution was quite simple. One doctor recommended running me wild, unleashing my energy in exercise to calm my wild behavior. This is indeed what I did. I started out on a swim team in 3rd grade and transitioned into Pop Warner football in 5th grade. I loved to hit people in football and started to enjoy the feeling of accomplishment I would get at the end of a day’s hard practice. In the 2nd year of Pop Warner football, my Coach, David Haines, died. This tragic happening took place just a few weeks before the end of the season. Before he died, he left each player on the team a plaque of Vince Lombardi’s famous speech, “What It Takes to Be Number One.” Being an 11-year-old at the time, I had no idea what an impact this speech would bring later down the road in my life. The following words have stayed with me throughout all of my struggles and efforts since the day I read them: 

“I firmly believe that any man’s finest hour, the greatest fulfillment of all that he holds dear, is that moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle – victorious.” 

-Vince Lombardi 

This incident changed my mentality for the rest of my life. Rather than think of football and exercise as fun and games, I turned my mentality into giving absolutely every ounce of energy and effort into my athletics and passions. Giving a 100% effort into any race, competition, or challenge that arises in life and leaving nothing behind in training. To train and push my body like there is no tomorrow. While this may be some of the most painful experiences at times, the feeling of triumph and joy after pushing through these painful experiences is all the more gratifying. The euphoric high that arises from concluding a long and hard-fought goal is the greatest. A feeling like I do not want to be anywhere else on the planet at the time. No drugs or alcohol needed, just the triumphant feeling of physical exhaustion for a good cause. 

More of my story can be found on my website in the “About Me” tab below: 

https://stevenperezluha.com/bio/ 

I began to get into cycling when my uncle and I rode our bicycles to Alaska and back after getting out of high school in 2009, age 17-18. It was a goal and mindset I had that I will never know when I will this opportunity again so I must go after my dreams and desires. My Uncle and I then went on more trips after this the following years, including Florida to California and back and multiple trips Florida to Pittsburgh and back. In 2016, my uncle had a paralyzing bike crash, breaking his neck and paralyzing him from the chest down. This tragic happening further my mentality to not waste a second of live and further exercise the mentality of knowing that each thing I do should be looked at like a “one and done”. Meaning that if I know it’s a one and done that, I will make the absolute best of everything I do knowing I may never know while I will be there again. It also encourage me to continue to pursue my coaching career. To improve people from whatever stage or condition in life they’re at. 

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
There have been struggles and many new experiences. I have continued to have the mindset that I will improve each year and continue to build my business, and charge more for my time and services year after year. I never look back with any regrets on any mistakes I’ve made knowing it’s all a learning experience, never a loss when there is a failure or something that didn’t work out. I look at it that everything that I’ve been through in life has led me to this moment where I am right now. And that the moment right now is the only moments I have. The past will never happen again, and the future will inspire me to make the decisions in the present moment. My best thinking at the time was every decision I’ve made up until now. 

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a cycling coach and also enjoy the aspect of life coaching. I specialize in the cycling coaching. I am most proud of never settling for a job as an employee and that I took the route to build my own business. There were many times in the beginning I could not make it a living though I saved money at the time by living with my parents until age 27 when then my business began to grow, and I improved it every year to where it is a full-time job and surpassed the $100,000 mark for the first time in the past couple years. The coaching and training programs is the main source of income, and cycling camps, events, and a race series brings in more income, all of which help the coaching business grow and improve as well. What would set me apart is not accepting the norm or pack mentality and wanting to do things differently and not the path the majority of others have taken. This goes back to the goal to ride to Alaska and back right out of high school and taking my time in the process of getting a degree and making the most of that. Being patient and not moving out of my home allowed me to build my coaching business vs. having to get some mediocre job to pay more bills and live on my own just for the sake of saying I could live on my own. Now I can do what I love, love on my own and have a good reserve in the bank and continue to grow my coaching business. 

What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
I love the athletic environment in Clermont, Florida, and the slogan of the town is “the choice of champions.” When I bicycle around the roads, I think back to what Clermont was many years ago with more country and orange groves. That part saddens me, knowing we can’t go back in time to enjoy the country and peace of the land before all the developments are constructed. It also inspires me knowing that a part of building something means constructing it, making it better. I also think back to my bicycle racing career, where I won multiple Florida state road race championships in Clermont. One notable was when I was a solo rider in 2012, and many doubted I could break away solo and win the race; I did in full force, not needing a time and being brave and confident. I think back to that winning mentality and going to dominate and be the best I can be. It is the mindset that you can choose to be a champion with the preparation and tenacity to go after it. The opportunity is available in the palm of my hands. 

Pricing:

• Training Plan Monthly Championship ($269/Month)
• Training Plan Monthly Platinum ($499/month)
• Training Plan Monthly Podium ($209/Month)
• Event and training limited plans ($99-$149/month)
• One-on-one training ($75/hour)

Contact Info:

• Website: https://stevenperezluha.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/perezluhacoaching/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PerezluhaCoaching/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-NeigAifkhq0M_Gkxb0RVg
• Other: https://www.instagram.com/steven_perezluha/